Closest Benjamin Moore match: Benjamin Moore Galápagos Green 475 (approx LRV 21) is the closest widely recommended stand-in for Sherwin-Williams Dried Thyme SW 6186 (LRV 20). Same earthy depth, a whisper more olive.
Closest Behr match: Behr Cactus Garden PPU11-18 lands at almost the same depth and the same gray-green sage character, reading just a hair fresher and greener than Dried Thyme.
The catch: all three matches sit within about a point of Dried Thyme's LRV, but no brand publishes an official equivalent. Confirm the color on your own wall before you commit a whole room.
Sherwin-Williams Dried Thyme is one of the most requested deep earthy sages around, so it is no surprise people want it in another brand's can. The honest answer up front: there is no official equivalent. Paint companies do not cross-reference each other, and each mixes its own tint bases, so a match is really just the closest color from another line. Below are the closest widely recommended Benjamin Moore and Behr options, the numbers behind them, and a quick note on how cross-brand paint matching works.
The closest matches, side by side
Two numbers do most of the work in a color match. LRV (light reflectance value) tells you how light or dark a color reads, on a scale from 0 (black) to 100 (white); Dried Thyme sits at 20, in the deep mid-tone range where a sage starts to feel grounded and moody. Undertone is the secondary cast underneath the main color, the gray, the olive, or the warmth that decides whether two greens feel like siblings or strangers. The table below ranks each candidate on both, measured against Dried Thyme as the reference.
| Color | Brand + code | Approx LRV | Undertone vs Dried Thyme | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dried Thyme | Sherwin-Williams SW 6186 | 20 | Reference earthy gray-green sage | The color you are matching |
| Galápagos Green | Benjamin Moore 475 | 21 | Same depth, a whisper more olive and a touch less gray | Closest widely recommended BM match |
| Mossy Oak | Benjamin Moore CC-600 | 20 | Same depth, warmer and more khaki-olive | Warmer, earthier BM alternative |
| Cactus Garden | Behr PPU11-18 | 21 | Nearly identical, a hair fresher and greener | Closest Behr match, very near identical |
Try it on your house
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LRV figures are approximate, drawn from each brand's published data, and small variation between sources and batches is normal. The color swatches and any hex or RGB values here are approximate digital renderings and will shift on your screen. A physical paint chip, viewed in your own light, is the only authoritative reference.
What this means in practice: Galápagos Green is the safest one-can swap, because it matches Dried Thyme's depth almost exactly at an LRV of 21 versus 20; the small gap is that it leans a whisper more olive, so it can feel a touch less gray on a bright wall. Mossy Oak sits at the same depth but reads warmer and more khaki, which is the color to reach for if you want Dried Thyme to feel a little earthier and less cool. Cactus Garden is the Behr pick and lands remarkably close on both depth and undertone, running just a hair fresher and greener, so it is the easiest cross-brand swap of the three if you are shopping the Behr deck.
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Why there is no exact Dried Thyme equivalent
Every brand builds color on its own set of tint bases and colorants, then fine-tunes each shade for its own fan deck. Dried Thyme's particular balance of gray, green, and a little olive warmth comes from the Sherwin-Williams formula. Another company can get close, but it cannot land on the exact same coordinates, because it is starting from different pigments in a different base. That is why the best you can honestly promise is the closest published match, not a duplicate.
The practical result is undertone drift. A match can share nearly the same LRV and still lean a little greener, grayer, or warmer once it is on the wall. Light amplifies that drift: north light cools a deep sage and can push it toward gray, while warm evening light pulls the olive forward and makes it read closer to a muddy green. So two colors that look like twins on a chip can behave differently across a whole room. Treat every number in the table as a starting point, not a guarantee.
Sheen adds one more variable. The same match in a flat finish will look softer and grayer than it does in an eggshell or satin, which bounce more light and lift the green forward. If your Sherwin-Williams reference is in one sheen and your Benjamin Moore or Behr sample is in another, you are not comparing the colors fairly. Match the sheen first, then judge the color, and compare large samples rather than a fingernail of dried paint on a can lid.
When the Benjamin Moore match works (and when to stay Sherwin-Williams)
A close match is a tool, not a trophy. The right call depends on what you are trying to do, so here is a quick decision guide.
- Go with the Benjamin Moore match if you already buy Benjamin Moore, trust a local store's tinting, or want to pair the color with trim and accents from the same deck.
- Stay with Sherwin-Williams Dried Thyme if you have existing SW 6186 walls to blend into, or if the exact earthy sage you fell for is non-negotiable. A re-mix in another base is a close cousin, not the same color.
- Choose Galápagos Green when you want the tightest depth match; choose Mossy Oak when you want the same darkness read a little warmer and earthier. See the full breakdown of Dried Thyme undertones and best rooms before you decide.
- Whatever you pick, put the two candidates next to each other and judge them the way you would compare any two paint colors: same wall, same light, same time of day.
Related matches
Matching a deep or muted sage from Sherwin-Williams to Benjamin Moore is a common project, and the whole green family follows the same rules. If you are weighing your options, see the closest Benjamin Moore version of Clary Sage and the Benjamin Moore match for Rosemary. The method is the same every time: find the closest published match, then prove it on your wall.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest Benjamin Moore equivalent of Dried Thyme?
The closest widely recommended Benjamin Moore match is Galápagos Green 475. It sits at essentially the same depth as Dried Thyme, with an LRV near 21 versus 20, but reads a whisper more olive and a touch less gray. There is no official equivalent, so treat it as the best starting point and confirm it on your own wall.
Is there a Behr version of Dried Thyme?
The closest widely recommended Behr match is Cactus Garden PPU11-18. It lands remarkably close to Dried Thyme on both depth and undertone, with an LRV around 21, reading just a hair fresher and greener. Behr does not publish an exact match, so a test swatch is the only way to be sure.
Is Galápagos Green the same as Dried Thyme?
No, but it is extremely close. Benjamin Moore Galápagos Green 475 matches Dried Thyme's depth almost exactly and shares the same earthy sage character, leaning only slightly more olive. It is a re-mix from a different tint base, not an identical color, so it is a close cousin rather than a duplicate.
How do I know a color match is right for my room?
Test it before you commit. Paint a large swatch or preview the color digitally on your own wall, then check it in the morning and at night. Undertones shift with light, sheen, and nearby colors, so a match that looks perfect on a chip can drift once it covers a whole wall.
1 HD render plus 3 free color variations. See the SW color and its BM match on your real wall.
Trademark notice. Sherwin-Williams and Dried Thyme, Benjamin Moore, and Behr are trademarks of their respective owners. FacadeColorizer is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by these companies. Brand and color names are used descriptively (nominative fair use). Hex and RGB values are approximate digital renderings; the only authoritative reference is a physical paint chip.
Trademarks mentioned (Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Behr, Caparol, Brillux, Sto, Alpina, Valspar, PPG, Glidden, Dulux, Crown Trade, Sandtex, Farrow & Ball, Johnstone's, Leyland) are property of their respective owners. FacadeColorizer is independent and not affiliated with any of them. Nominative fair use under Lanham Act §1125.
